At 2 AM this morning we finally landed back in the home in Thezan which we had left nearly four weeks ago.
Knackered , but delighted with our travels.

When we left Ireland , 2, 3 or 5 years ago (it was a gradual progress parting) we left behind a strong body of much loved family and friends which we never had any intention of letting go. It was our intention that all these people would meander out to our village in the Languedoc pretty frequently and party there with us.
Do to many circumstances , including some dodgy deals by various bankers , that hasn’t been as easy as we anticipated.
In truth most of them have managed the trip but I am a tenacious friend (and indeed relative) so there is no way the others were going to be let lose touch.
We this in mind Síle and I planned this trip home to Ireland this Christmas.

Wicklow being a fairly central county we rented a house there for the first ten days and there we entertained.
We had two large lunches for Dublin and surrounding suspects (mostly Síle’s family and mine ) , several afternoon teas (great meal this !) for others , were fed ourselves in Sandymount by old friends, Robert and Anne giving a dinner party in our honour as well , of course , of getting a terrific go off the daughters, their partners and the precious grandsons. (Our youngest daughter D was in India at a wedding , but that is certainly her story)

From there we moved to Dunmore East to meet our newest adopted grandchild, up to Thomastown to be royally enterained by our oldest friends the Nunns who miraculously produced the Lechleiters (of similar ancient vintage ) for the walk along the Barrow between St. Mullins and Graignamanagh .
In Waterford we skipped promiscuously between beds , eating with the Moore Kindlers (perhaps even using the very seat later that week to be occupied by Mick Hanley- certainly another story) And then cooking huge quantities of Tangiers Chicken for our traditional annual Book Club “Bite and Recite” dinner in our friend Finola’s house.
We had an excellent lunch in Blackrock Castle in Cork with all my brothers and sisters and their spouses , (well nearly all, sister D. was spending Christmas in Spain) , making a handy dozen of us , and then (the Dwyer offspring being fond of their roots, have stayed mainly within the sound of Shandon Bells ) summoned Nephews and Nieces (and their families) to Blackrock Market for a Sunday morning coffee. To our intense pleasure somewhere between 40 and 50 arrived.
We spent the last week in Dublin doing some overdue babysitting for our stunning grandsons, Fionn and Ruadhán , there managing to just catch daughter D in flight between India and Portrush and see the amazing pictures of the wedding in India.
That , just about, brought us to the boat in Rosslare on Satuday morning and yesterdays long , 12 hour, drive down through La Toute France, the carrot being the thought of a night in our own bed.
To all those members of friends and family whom we missed I can only apologise , it was only geography and time that kept us from you.
To everyone else thanks are due for not having forgotten us and , we hope to see every one of you out here soon.

Post Haste
(Please God before she reads this ) I must add that our first night in Wickla ancient mates Paul and Isabel arrived – from France offa plane but via Dublin- bearing dinner from those well known master chefs Ms Marque et Sparque and relieved us of some of our B.I.B’s which Mr.O Leary doesn’t allow as hand luggage.